Apparatus for preparing foodstuffs



June 29, 1954 R. B. POLLARD v 2,682,390

APPARATUS FOR PREPARING FOODSTUF'FS Filed Nov. 10, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet.l

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3 mvsnn'on A Ray B. Pollard BYflMrAUM v ATTORNEYS June 1954 R. B.POLLARD 2,682,390

' APPARATUS FOR PREPARING FOODSTUFFS Filed Nov. 10, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENTOR Pay B. Pollard BY Ad-M/ avail/LEI) kTTORNEYS Patented June29, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR PREPARING FOODSTUFFSRay B. Pollard, Stockton, Calif.

Application November 10, 1951, Serial No. 255,771

' 1 Claim. ((31. 257-22) It is a major object of this invention toprovide novel apparatus for cooking and precooling foodstuffspreparatory to packaging and quick-freezing the same; the apparatusbeing especially designedbut not 1imitedfor use in connection with thepreparation of precooked, quick-frozen chicken.

In the processing of chicken for quick-freezing it is contemplated thatthe chicken be steam cooked with the resultant broth retained separatelyin the cooking pan, and that both the chicken and broth be chilledbefore the packaging step; one purpose being that the chilled brothbecomes gelled and in this condition is used in a quantity in thepackage to form a protective cover or seal about the chicken whereby topreserve its flavor and minimize dehydration when quick-frozen.

It is therefore another important object of the invention to providenovel apparatus to process a foodstuff, such as chicken, for packagingin the manner contemplated in the preceding paragraph.

An additional object of the invention is to provide apparatus,for thepurpose described, which includes. a novel unit for fast cooling theprecooked chicken and broth while the same remain separated in thecooking pan; the pans being railsupported for sliding motion from acooking unit to said fast cooling unit which is disposed in adjacentrelation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide apparatus, as inthe preceding paragraph, wherein the fast-cooling unit includes a pansupporting rail section above a tank containing a coolant, and such railsection being mounted for lowering, from a normally raised position,whereby to partly submerge the supported pans in said coolant.

It is also an object of the invention to provide apparatus which isdesigned for ease and economy of manufacture.

Still another object of the invention is to provide practical andreliable apparatus for preparing foodstuffs, and one which isexceedingly efiective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevation of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sideelevation of the fast cooling unit detachedfrom the remainder of the apparatus, and being shown partly in section.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the fast-cooling unit detached from theremainder of the apparatus.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, the apparatus comprises an elongated frame assembly includingthree upstanding rectangular frames, indicated at I, 2, and 3, disposedin end to end alinement. The frame I is formed, at its inner end, with aframe extension 4 which abuts the adjacent end of the frame 2, and theopposite end of the latter abuts the inner end of the frame 3. The frameextension 4 and the frame 3 are connected to adjacent ends of the frame2 by tie bolts 5, thus forming a unitary or continuous frame assembly.Such frame assembly is fitted on top and for the full length withtransversely spaced rails; such rails being in longitudinal sections,the section on the frame I being indicated at 6, the section on theframe 2 being indicated at l, and the section on the frame 3 beingindicated at 8. In their initial or normal positions the sections 6, l,and 8 of the transversely spaced rails are all in alinement.

The rails of the respective sections, as above, are mounted, inconnection with the corresponding frames, so that a continuous row,indicated generally at 9, of pans It) may be supported by said railswith the pans depending between such rails and to a point some distancetherebelow; the pans in being of a type which include side flanges I lwhich rest on the rails in slidable relation. Additionally, each pan It]includes a removable cover [2.

The frame 1 is fitted, some distance below the rail section '1, with alongitudinal support l3 on which a plurality of burners M are fixed inspaced relation; the present embodiment showing four burnerslongitudinally spaced in a manner to heat the contents of four panssupported by the rail section 1.

Each pan It is provided therein with a horizontal, perforate rack [5supported by legs 16 some distance above the bottom of the pan; thechicken pieces ll resting on the rack, while the broth resultant fromsteam cooking of the chicken accumulates in the bottom of the pan, as atIS.

The pans ID, with the rack supported pieces of chicken therein, areprogressed on a predetermined time basis along the cooking unitcomprised of the frame I, rail section 7, and burners M; the pans thencebeing advanced to stand for a time on the portion of the rail section lcarried bythe frame extension 4, so as to permit of initial atmosphericcooling of the pans and contents.

Thereafter, the pans l0 are advanced onto the rail section I, whichsection is adapted to support four of such pans; such rail section 1being mounted for lowering motionwith the pans thereon-in the followingmanner:

Each of the transversely spaced rails of the section 7 is secured at theends to posts l9 which extend downwardly in slidable relation in guidesleeves 26 on the frame 2; such posts projecting a distance below thesleeves 20, and at the lower end being connected by bottom cross bars2|.

A cross shaft 22 is journaled in connection with and extends betweenfixed cross bars 23 at opposite ends of the frame 2 below the topthereof but above the bottom cross bars 2|. Articulated actuatinglinkage 24 is fixed to each end of the cross shaft 22 and connects tothe corresponding cross bar 21 by a pivot bolt 25. At one end of theframe 2 there is a forwardly projecting, vertically swingable lever 26pivoted at its rear end, as at 2'1, to the adjacent member of frame 2,and formed at the forward end with a laterally projecting handle 28.

A link 29 is pivoted, as at 30, to the lever 26 intermediate its endsand thence extends upwardly and is connected with the pivot bolt 25.With this arrangement vertical swinging of the lever 26 effectscorresponding vertical motion of the guided posts l9, whereby the railsection I may be raised or lowered. The lever 26 normally is maintainedin a raised position by a catch 3|, and in this position the railsection I is alined with the rail sections 6 and 8. For each fastcooling operation, of the pans and contents supported by the railsection I, the lever 26 is released and swung downwardly, which resultsin lowering of the posts 19 and rail section I with the pans thereon;the latter, as they lower, entering part way into a rectangularopen-topped cooling tank 32 mounted in the frame 2.

The structure including the frame 2, vertically adjustable rail sectionI, and the tank 32 with coolant therein, may be termed the fast-coolingunit of the apparatus.

The tank 32 includes a quantity of a liquid coolant 33 capable of beingmaintained at low temperature without freezing. The low temperature ofthe coolant 33 is produced by refrigeration coils 39 mounted on thesides and ends of the tank, as well as in the bottom thereof. Such coilsare connected by conduits 35, with an electric motor-driven compressorunit 36 mounted on a platform 31 in the lower portion of the frame 2.

When the pans Ill supported by the rail section I are lowered into thetank 32, such pans and their contents are fast-cooled; the covers 12remaining on the pans. With such fast cooling of the pans and contents,the broth 18 in the pans is cooled to the extent that it gells. Afterthe chicken pieces I! and broth I8 are fast-cooled, as above, the railsection I is raised to its normal position and the pans are thenadvanced from said rail section I to the rail section 8 carried by theframe 3.

From the rail section 8 the pans are removed from the apparatus; theprecooked fast-cooled chicken pieces I! are removed and placed inpackages; and finally the gelled broth I8 is removed and placed in thepackages about the chicken pieces to preserve their flavor and toprovide a seal thereabout.

The method for which the present apparatus is especially adapted for usein performing is described in greater detail in my copendingapplication, Serial No. 254,973 filed November 5, 1951.

With the described apparatus, foodstuffs-such as chicken-can beprocessed in a production-line manner, progressing from a cooking unitto a fastcooling unit, and thence moving to an end unit from which thepans are removed. With the apparatus, a cooking method of the typedescribed can be carried out in a practical and expeditious manner.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there hasbeen produced such an apparatus as will substantially fulfill theobjects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the apparatus, still in practice such deviationstherefrom may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spiritof the invention, as defined by the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new anduseful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

In a food preparing apparatus which includes a plurality of top-fiangedcooking pans, transversely spaced rails to slidably receive the panflanges from one end of the rails and so that the pans depend therefrom,a coolant tank under the rails and below the normal bottom level ofsupported pans, posts depending from the rails at both ends adjacent butbeyond the tank, fixed guide sleeves in which the posts are slidable,cross bars connecting the posts below the sleeves, a shaft extendinglengthwise of the rails and mounted in connection with and under thetank above the cross bars and laterally offset relative to the center oflength of such bars, arms projecting radially from the shaftsubstantially in the vertical plane of the cross bars, links connectingthe arms and cross bars at points centrally of the length of the latter,a transverse hand lever pivoted at one end in connection with the tankadjacent one side of the same and adjacent the vertical plane of onecross bar, said lever extending under the tank, to the other sidethereof for operation, and a link connected to the lever intermediateits ends and to said one cross bar in common with the connection of thecorresponding one of the first named links therewith; there beingreleasable holding means to retain the lever against movement in a raillowering direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,139,313 Stevens May 11, 1915 1,2d4,153 Wickwire Oct. 23,1917 1,404,456 Martin Jan. 24, 1922 1,741,925 Enock Dec. 31, 19291,960,339 Howard May 29, 1934 2,154,978 Galvin Apr. 18, 1939 2,335,618Thompson Nov. 30, 1943 2,461,375 Eftihios Feb. 8, 1949 2,560,060 ZwostaJuly 10, 1951

